Malaysia's oldest climber reaches Everest Base Camp

KUALA LUMPUR: James Lee Chong Meng, the oldest Malaysian who attempted to capture the peak of Mount Everest, arrived at the Everest Base Camp (EBC) this afternoon.

The 69-year-old climber said he and his team arrived at EBC, located at a height of 5,364 metres above sea level, at about 3pm today (Nepal local time).

“The weather here is very good and we had the opportunity to take photographs for remembrance before the climbers who were with me would go down to Periche tomorrow morning after breakfast.

“However, I will remain at the EBC to continue training at Lobuche East,” he said in an audio recording sent to Bernama, a media partner of the country’s oldest climber who is on a mission to reach the world’s highest peak.

Lee said the two climbers, Eugene Kwan Jyh Sin, 47, and Teng Hee Weng, 48, who suffered from acute mountain syndrom (AMS) earlier, had been confirmed to have recovered.

“They have recovered, but periodical health checks would continue to be carried out to ensure our health condition continues to be active.

“I have overcome the feeling and presence of ‘cold air’ which makes my chest uncomfortable following advice from professional sherpa regarding my diet,” he said.

Lee and his team had arrived in Kathmandu on April 1.

The five climbers with him were Eugene, Chong Nyuk Kooi, 49, Teng Hee Weng, 48, as well as Berdych Tan Teck Chai and Jack Oh Jin who are both 32 years old.

They accompanied Lee up to the Everest Base Camp before Lee continued his climb to the mountain peak in an expedition organised by the Lions Club of Port Dickson Pantai.

In May last year, Lee had to cancel the final stage of his climb to the peak of Mount Everest when he reached Camp III at a height of 7,200m due to bad weather. The Mount Everest is 8,848m high. -- Bernama